The Right Time to Start with Transport and Logistics Software
Transport and Logistics software can massively reduce your headaches, but when is the right time to take the leap?
It's quite a commitment to move towards a streamlined operation, both for the initial time and investment that it takes. In this guide, we'll help you figure out when the time could be right for you.
Essentially, the time might be just right for you when:
1. Your fleet is all over the place
If you're struggling to optimize your runs and need to constantly make phone calls or considering adding another truck to the fleet, then investing into software could be just the ticket. Through the use of software, your fleet can be better managed for pick up and delivery runs essentially with more freight carted each week.
2. Your drivers keep losing paperwork
We know the feeling well - lost paperwork leads to unprofessionalism and often lost revenue. You can't prove the item was delivered or picked up by the driver. With software, not only can you use sign on glass technology, but there is a digital record of the time, date, location and drivers can even take photos of the freight on board. These sophisticated records, unlike paper, can't get lose either.
3. Your phone rings every 3 minutes
Does your phone ring 20 times per hour? One of the greatest compliments we hear from clients a few weeks into using CartonCloud's software is the relative silence of their office phones. Staff can get back to the tasks at hand instead of organizing runs, locating freight or otherwise running errands.
4. Your fleet is separate from the warehouse
We believe that transport, logistics and warehousing is best integrated, not divided. An efficient system is one that talks to both the WMS and TMS without the need for complicated integrations. Essentially, when your fleet is separated by information from the warehouse, you have an 'Us vs Them' mentality and interlinking software can reduce that void.
5. Your office crew is fed up
When your office crew spends most of their working week uploading and allocating signed con notes, that's one epic waste of work hours. They would much rather have a system that automates these tasks. With software, that's very much conceivable. CartonCloud for instance can automatically allocate signed digital con notes and send invoices instantly while your delivery driver is still at the client's dock.
6. Your drivers are running their own routes
With any good Transport Logistics Software, you can map out your own delivery routes so you can better optimize for pickups later in the day. With such software, drivers often just create their own routes. While this isn't a bad thing, it does become unstuck once new drivers are on the run who'd be better off with pre-planned digital run sheets with individual tracking.
7. Your drivers can't accurately quantify wait-times
One of the biggest frustrations is wait-times. This could be at fuel stations, weigh stations, remaining in compliance with fatigue management laws or simply at client delivery docks. You can't be sure if the driver really just waited 20 minutes, but got away nominating 45 minutes on the paperwork because they could. By using software, you can accurately see when they arrived and drivers can 'start the clock' so you can charge clients accordingly and accurately.
Getting started
These frustrations are felt across the industry by both small and large operations. If that's you, then we'd love to have a chat. Reach out to the team at CartonCloud today for a free demo of our transport system.